http://www.etbscreenwriting.com An Emotional Toolbox Website Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:11:41 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en WELCOME SCREENWRITERS & NOVELISTS! The highest praise a reviewer can give a novel is that it is “cinematic.” A great story unfolds like a movie in the reader’s mind. That’s what every film script must do as well. Someone reading your screenplay must be able to “see” your movie. ... http://www.etbscreenwriting.com/the-one-hour-screenwriter-ecourse/ Spending so much time in airplanes, I had a chance to catch up on several of the movies I missed in theatrical release. I was particularly enchanted by Disney's The Princess and the Frog. This delightful animated film is the best romantic comedy of the last couple of years. It ... http://www.etbscreenwriting.com/the-princess-and-the-frog/ I saw this on Nikki Finke's site, Deadline Hollywood.  If you don't already follow her, add her site to your list of daily "must visit" places on the web.  Nikki is one of the key information conduits to all things Hollywood-- a reporter who always knows what's going on and ... http://www.etbscreenwriting.com/best-worst-thriller-adaptations/ While I was in Madrid-- sitting in the beautiful plazas-- I read the most recent WGA Magazine WRITTEN BY.  There was a wonderful article about Ray Bradbury who was interviewed on his 90th Birthday.  He repeated one of his most famous quotes:  "You've got to jump off the cliff all ... http://www.etbscreenwriting.com/jumping-off-a-cliff/ MADRID Yesterday I posted Byron Katie's four questions.  These questions get at the fear and fearful thinking that causes personal suffering.  As many of you know the best definition of fear I have ever heard is:  "Fear is the anticipation of grief."  Anticipating something often makes it true-- That's where the ... http://www.etbscreenwriting.com/how-to-use-byron-katies-four-questions-for-your-characters/ MADRID I arrived in Madrid at about 8am and my room wasn't quite ready so I walked over to the Plaza Major and had a lovely Spanish Omelette and a coffee.  Someone gave me a subscription to OPRAH MAGAZINE, which I rarely have time to read at home, but which I ... http://www.etbscreenwriting.com/four-questions-from-byron-katie/ Volver & Casablanca The film Volver begins with a wonderful scene in which all the women of a small rural village scrub the tombstones of their dead. An unrelenting wind blows and threatens to overwhelm their efforts. But the women persist. What a stunning visual metaphor for the performance of the ... http://www.etbscreenwriting.com/forgiveness-in-volver-and-casablanca/ Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a movie based on Jordan Mechner's videogame series.  The movie was directed by Mike Newell and written by Boaz Yakin, Doug Miro and Carlo Bernard.  In the film, Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes the titled prince when he is picked ... http://www.etbscreenwriting.com/prince-of-persia/ This article appeared in the Los Angeles Times recently.  Here is the full article. I am excerpting it here: As it speeds toward its ninth-season finale Wednesday, fans of "American Idol" may wonder, figuratively speaking: Does the show have its, er, pants on the ground? Evidence abounds that Fox's singing contest may ... http://www.etbscreenwriting.com/american-idol/ Lawyers Are Great Storytellers I've never met a lawyer who didn't have dozens of great stories. A legal practice deals with human nature at its best and worst and involves situations of tremendous conflict. Human conflict is the bedrock of all great films, television shows and novels. Personal ... http://www.etbscreenwriting.com/the-screenwriting-for-lawyers-ecourse-2/